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Living life as it is.

Southbound Conversations

I’ve always eavesdropped on people unintentionally. And when I do, their conversations are worth sharing. Here are two conversations that I think will get thinking as much as I did. The names below are aliases because I never really got the chance to ask (hehe).

Topic: Professional Infidelity

Location: Bus (Southbound from Cubao)

Megan: Hey Julie! *surprised look*

Julie: Megan! Hello! Small world!

Megan: Yeah! I didn’t know you were in the Philippines already! I thought you were taking your Post-Grad studies in Europe?

Julie: I already finished it! But I have kwento (something to share). While finishing my thesis, I was also a part-time instructor. But months of being away from your family makes you look for affection else where.

Megan: …

Julie: Well, there was this student of mine, a delayed senior, who was smart, good-looking, had a good sense of humor, and was diligent in accomplishing the requirements of my class. After his last semester had ended and I wasn’t his teacher anymore, we started hanging out, grabbing a cup of coffee after school hours.

Megan: Wait. Don’t tell me you…

Julie: Oh no no! We never did that. We mostly enjoyed each others’ company. Well, there were a couple of things that happened but nothing bigger than life.

Megan: Didn’t you feel guilty for what you did? You have Mike, James and Jane back home!

Julie: At first it felt so wrong to be entertaining someone so young. He was so different from Mike who was the alpha male of his group. He was so ideal, charming, and a real gentleman—which was do refreshing! I haven’t felt that young in ages!

(Long Pause)

Megan: So what happened next?

Julie: One night, I talked to Mike and the kids back home and I felt something was wrong. It felt unfair. After that Skype conversation, I lied down on my bed feeling so hallow at what I was doing. The next day, I met up with him, and broke the relationship off.

Megan: Just like that? What did you say?

Julie: I said, ‘I know you know that I’m a married woman. My husband changed me into who I am now. If it weren’t for him, I wouldn’t be this beautiful, this confident about myself. I wouldn’t be this dedicated to my work if it weren’t for him. You are simply enjoying the ‘me’ that our marriage has created. I can’t let you do that. In fact, you don’t deserve that. I do thank you for the time you’ve shared with me, but this was a mistake. Good bye.